Volume 15.22 | Jun 9

Fasting Triggers Stem Cell Regeneration of Damaged, Old Immune System
In the first evidence of a natural intervention triggering stem cell-based regeneration of an organ or system, a study shows that cycles of prolonged fasting not only protect against immune system damage – a major side effect of chemotherapy – but also induce immune system regeneration, shifting stem cells from a dormant state to a state of self-renewal. [Press release from the University of Southern California discussing online publication in Cell Stem Cell]Press Release|Abstract|Graphical Abstract

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SCIENCE NEWS

New Therapies Harness Power of the Immune System against Cancer
New research on innovative immunotherapies for advanced or high-risk melanoma and cervical cancer were presented. These treatments – used alone or in combination – fight cancer by activating and amplifying the body’s immune response to the disease. [Press release from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) discussing research presented at the 50th Annual Meeting of the ASCO, Chicago]Press Release

uniQure Announces Analysis of Six-Year Follow-Up Data for Glybera®
uniQure N.V. announced the full analysis of the six-year follow-up data for patients treated once with Glybera® (alipogene tiparvovec), uniQure’s gene therapy product for the treatment of lipoprotein lipase deficiency. [Press release from uniQure N.V. discussing research presented at the 82nd Annual Congress of the European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS), Madrid]Press Release

A $4.5 Billion Price Tag for the BRAIN Initiative?
After more than a year of meetings and deliberations, a National Institutes of Health-convened working group has fleshed out some the goals and aspirations of Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) and tried to offer a more realistic appraisal of the funding needed: $4.5 billion over the course of a decade, or roughly quadruple the project’s currently planned budget. [ScienceInsider]Editorial

Last Remaining Support for Controversial Stem-Cell Papers Collapses
The retraction of two controversial papers that promised a simple way to create embryonic-like stem cells seems to be imminent after the lead author unexpectedly gave her full consent. Haruko Obokata, of the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology in Kobe, Japan, had been the last obstacle to the retraction of both papers. [Nature News]Editorial

Output Drops at World’s Largest Open-Access Journal
The number of papers published by the world’s largest open-access journal, PLoS One, has plummeted over the past few months after rising fairly steadily for years, notes a scholarly publishing blogger. Phil Davis suggests the closely watched PLoS One may have become a less attractive option for scientists as its impact factor has fallen and other open-access publishers have come on the scene. [ScienceInsider]Editorial